Libraries and Museums: Career and Education Opportunities in Chicago, Illinois

Libraries and Museums:
Librarians and Museum Curators manage, organize and protect the information and artifacts that define our intellectual and artistic lives. Working in our libraries and museums, they make sure that records of what we do as a people are preserved and make available to all.

Chicago, Illinois photo by Dschwen

Chicago is situated in Cook County, Illinois. It has a population of over 2,853,114, which has shrunk by 1.5% in the past ten years. The cost of living index in Chicago, 114, is well above the national average. New single-family homes in Chicago are valued at $200,500 on average, which is far less than the state average. In 2008, three hundred eighty-one new homes were built in Chicago, down from eight hundred seventy the previous year.

The three big industries for women in Chicago are health care, educational services, and professional, scientific, and technical services. For men, it is construction, professional, scientific, and technical services, and accommodation and food services. The average commute to work is about 35 minutes. More than 25.5% of Chicago residents have a bachelor's degree, which is lower than the state average. The percentage of residents with a graduate degree, 10.0%, is higher than the state average.

The unemployment rate in Chicago is 11.6%, which is greater than Illinois's average of 10.5%.

The percentage of Chicago residents that are affiliated with a religious congregation, 57.6%, is more than both the national and state average. Southlawn United Methodist Church, Southern Missionary Baptist Church and Lakeside Evangelical Church are all churches located in Chicago. The most common religious groups are the Catholic Church, the Muslim Estimate and the Lutheran Church.

Chicago is home to the Five Crossings and the Wrigley Field as well as Monticello Park and Wilson Playground. Shopping centers in the area include Lincoln Village Shopping Center, Market Place at Six Corners Shopping Center and Kimbark Plaza Shopping Center. Visitors to Chicago can choose from Extended Stay America, Embassy Suites Lakefront and Cottage Inn for temporary stays in the area.

Audio-Visual Directors prepare, plan, and operate audio-visual teaching aids for use in education. Audio-Visual Directors need to train others in tasks and process. They also need to diagnose equipment problems and failures.

Librarians administer libraries and perform related library services. Librarians need to make use of strategies for learning about new situations and problems as they arise. They also need to read and understand what has been read.

Library Information Technians assist librarians by helping readers in the use of library catalogs, databases, and indexes to locate books and other materials; and by answering questions that require only brief consultation of standard reference. Library Information Technians need to read and understand what has been read. They also need to listen well to others and take in their information and issues.

Museum Technicians prepare specimens, such as fossils, skeletal parts, and textiles, for museum collection and exhibits. Museum Technicians need to think through complex problems and develop a critical analysis of the situation and possible solutions. They also need to manage their own time and the time of others.